Before everyone got situated in their carriages, ready to set out, Yu Mei pulled Chu'mei over. She shoved something into Chu'mei's sleeves sneakily. "Make sure to put this inside my mother in law's food,"
"XiaoJie! I really can't," Chu'mei shook her head when she felt the slimy thing in her sleeve. This was too cruel.
"Chu'mei! Remember what she did to us the first day. We would have starved if it wasn't for Sister Ji Er. Let's give her one more shock before returning, okay?" When Chu'mei thought about it, her lady was right. They would have starved that day. Just thinking about it made her blood boil. She agreed.
Like usual, in the main carriage was the empress, Fei Ning and Ming Yan.
Yu Mei was merrily chatting with Ji Er in the other. "Sister Yu Mei, where have you been all morning? I was looking for you earlier,"
"Sister Ji Er was looking for me?" Yu Mei sincerely asked surprised.
"En…I wanted to go hairpin shopping with you. I got you one," Ji Er pulled out a nicely wrapped hairpin from her sleeve, handing it over to Yu Mei. "You didn't have to. I can't take it," Yu Mei felt ashamed taking it. She didn't even have anything to give Ji Er in return. "It's okay. When I saw it, I had the intentions of buying it for you,"
"Thank you Sister Ji Er," Yu Mei happily unraveled the cloth, the moment she saw the hairpin, a wide smile appeared. "It's so cute!" Yu Mei held it up, looking at it closer. It was a jade hairpin with a bunny shape carving on the tip. Yu Mei almost wanted to cry, when did her little Ji Er become so good to her?
A little half way through the forest, Yu Mei suddenly burst into a hysterical laughter. Ji Er looked up at her. "Sister Yu Mei, what is so funny?" Ji Er wanted to know too. "Nothing, I just thought of something funny," Yu Mei wasn't lying, she had been thinking of something funny just now. So what was she thinking of? Her mother in law's unpleasant face when she sees the surprise left for her. Yu Mei would never get the chance to see her last plan go into action as she sadly waved goodbye to the carriages heading far away from her. Not only her but everyone else, including the servants and maids were standing in the forest, staring at the carriages leaving. [NO NO NO! This wasn't supposed to happen] Yu Mei complained in her heart. They weren't supposed to have run into forest bandits. Of course she was unhappy that they got their carriages and goods stolen but what upset her more was not being able to see her mother in law's face. That frog surprise of hers was meant for her mother in law, how dare those bandits take that joy away from her.
"Aiya! What bad luck, how do we get back to Luoyang?" Fei Ning sighed.
"What are we going to do?" Ming Yan added.
Ji Er held onto Yu Mei's arm. "What are we going to do? Are we going to survive?" Ji Er looked around the forest. Just imagining being stuck here all night was really too terrifying.
Even the empress herself was having a hard time. There was no way she would walk the whole way back to Luoyang. "Send someone to get Pei Nan," was the first thing Empress Ping commanded. Everyone looked at each other, who was willing to go. Yu Mei rolled her eyes when she heard how dumb her mother in law's suggestion was. She made her way over. "Mother, I'm afraid we will die before Pei Nan gets here. Best thing to do is to walk by foot," Yu Mei suggested.
"Yu Mei, are you crazy? How can you ask her highness to walk the whole way back?" Fei Ning scolded.
"Fei Ning, even I don't want to force mother but we really don't have a choice. It'll be at most three days before Pei Nan gets here," Yu Mei reasoned with them. Everyone nodded in agreement, what Yu Mei said made sense to them. To be exact, many of them had wanted to complain about Empress Ping's idea but were too afraid to speak up. Thankfully they had Yu Mei. Many of the maids and servants belonging to other consorts now had a new found respect for Yu Mei. Most of them were thinking the same thing, why didn't their master have an ounce of common sense.
After a long debate with herself, Empress Ping had no choice but to agree. By now, she had realized her mistake. Of course, she would not admit it though. "Fine, if everyone thinks like Yu Mei, we will walk," Empress Ping walked passed Yu Mei, giving her a mean and dirty look.
No one has had food all day; by 3'oclock everyone became tired and sluggish. Yu Mei couldn't stay like this either, she was starving. She kept fidgeting with something in her sleeve…four pork buns. But how could she eat it in front of everyone. She couldn't eat or not eat it. There was no way she could possibly share it with 14 other people.
A few minutes later, Yu Mei noticed that the forest was brighter and greener on the north side. That could only mean one thing, water source! "Everyone be quiet!" she shouted. Fei Ning and Empress Ping had been complaining the whole time, only stopping after hearing Yu Mei's absurd request. "Yu Mei, you dare tell me to be quiet," Empress Ping was already annoyed; just hearing Yu Mei speak made her even angrier. She walked over to Yu Mei about to scold her when Yu Mei interrupted her. "There's water nearby,"
"Yu Mei, not only have you been whining, you are even lying now?" Empress Ping spoke ruthlessly. Yu Mei almost wanted to drop kick this mother in law of hers at this very moment. If it wasn't for her patience, who knows what would've happened to her mother in law by now.
"Mother, there really is water nearby, if you stay silent for a while, you can hear it too," a very very VERY calm Yu Mei spoke.
"Fine, but if there isn't really water, I'll have Pei Nan punish you," Yu Mei nodded just to shut her mother in law up. After everyone quieted down, Yu Mei closed her eyes. She was right, she could faintly hear the sound of water. The people with good hearings also heard the sound of water. "Consort Pan is right. There really is water. We're saved," many of the maids were jumping in joy as they praised Pan Yu Mei. The level of respect for her now had doubled.
About ten minutes of following the sound of water, they came to the source, a running stream. Who knew that a stunning stream was hidden in this forest? Empress Ping was speechless, along with everyone else. She glared at Yu Mei before heading towards the water with Fei Ning and Ming Yan by her side.
The maids of Empress Ping, Fei Ning and Ming Yan moved over to the right side, a really far distance from Yu Mei and Ji Er. Now the group had been separated into two groups. Yu Mei didn't care as she grabbed onto Ji Er's hand. "Sister Ji Er, you won't leave me to go over there, right?" Ji Er pat her arm, assuring her. "Lol, don't be so silly. How could I leave you? Let's sit for a bit," Yu Mei and Ji Er along with their three maids sat on the spacious rock surface along the stream. Yu Mei was so hungry she was even seeing fishes in the water. "Chu'mei, I'm so hungry I'm even seeing big fishes," she sighed depressingly. Chu'mei quickly looked inside the water. "Xiaojie, there really are fishes in the water,"
"Really?" Yu Mei crawled to the edge. She wasn't seeing things, there were really fishes. She was saved! Yu Mei jumped back on her feet, hopping back to the forest, scrambling to get a long branch. Yu Mei only came back after picking out a good branch. "Xiaojie, you can't be so hungry you're even willing to eat trees now?" Chu'mei innocently asked. Ji Er was thinking the same thing. Yu Mei knocked Chu'mei's forehead a few times lightly. "Is there anything in that head of yours?" Chu'mei rubbed her forehead. "Xiaojie, how can you say that, hmph!" she crossed her arms. "I'm not eating this," she pointed to the branch. "I'm going to catch fish. In the meantime, you go collect branches and start a fire,"
Just hearing the words "catch fish" Chu'mei became much livelier. "Are we really having fish?"
"En," The next moment, Chu'mei had dashed at the speed of light, collecting wood. "Ling Yu, Li Yu, go help Chu'mei,"
"Yes miss,"
Ji Er watched as Yu Mei pulled out a silver hairpin from her own hair. The next thing she knew, Yu Mei had jammed her hairpin inside the branch, creating a spear like weapon. For the first time, Ji Er was left speechless. What left her even more shocked was when Yu Mei pulled her skirt up to her knees. "Yu Mei, what are you doing? That's improper," Ji Er scolded her. The only person who was supposed to see this much skin was either a husband or wife.
"It's okay," Yu Mei assured her before slowly getting into the shallow water covering a little over her ankle.
At this time, the other side looked on with horror that slowly turned into interest. This unruly Consort Pan. What in the world was she up to? The only people on that side who tried to ignore Yu Mei consisted of Empress Ping, Fei Ning and Ming Yan. Everyone else couldn't help but gaze over.
Attempts after attempts, Yu Mei finally caught her first fish. "I CAUGHT IT!" Yu Mei waved the branch with the speared fish. Ji Er clapped her hand. "Yu Mei, you are so good. Where did you learn that?"
"I read it in a book," That was a lie; she had always fished with her master. Fishing was her life.
Soon, the smoke from the fire and the roasted fish smell became too strong even for the opposing team's side. Everyone on the right was holding their stomach, literally drooling.
On Yu Mei's side, a fire was already lit while all five of them held a stick with a fish on it, slowly cooking it on the fire. Ji Er was impressed. The first time Yu Mei caught a fish, she thought it was pure luck. But to catch five, there was no doubt in her head; Yu Mei was a fishing prodigy. Ji Er felt so proud of this new sister she made.
Once the fishes were ready, Yu Mei wanted to make the right side group jealous, more like just her mother in law. Since that frog surprise didn't work as planned, this was the next best thing. "MMmmm…." Yu Mei groaned loudly for the opposing team to hear. "Chu'mei, this fish is so good," she purposely talked louder. At first Chu'mei didn't understand why her lady was yelling but after a few seconds, she got it. "Xiaojie, this fish is really tender. I could eat this all day," Chu'mei played along.
By now, even Empress Ping couldn't ignore Yu Mei. The instance Yu Mei saw Empress Ping turn her head; she took a huge bite of the fish, ripping it apart like a beast. "Woah~ Soooo DE..LICI…OUS!" Yu Mei and Chu'mei were having fun teasing the rest. Ji Er and the rest watched delightfully.
"Ming Yan, go ask for fish," the temptation was too much for Fei Ning. But she had no face to go ask, it had to be Ming Yan. "But…"
"Fei Ning, how can I ask?" even Ming Yan was too ashamed. After hesitating for a few minutes, she realized she had actually never done anything too bad to Yu Mei other than give her dirty looks. With that in mind, Ming Yan went over to Yu Mei's side, bringing along her two maids.
Empress Ping tried to not show her satisfaction for this thick-skinned daughter in law of hers. That satisfaction didn't last long as she realized, the same daughter in law she had just "praised" wasn't coming back. Ming Yan had actually shamelessly sat done and enjoyed the fish with the rest of the group.
As Ming Yan ate, she felt Yu Mei wasn't so bad after all. The whole time she was making her way over, she was afraid Yu Mei would deny her…possibly embarrassing her.
"You terrible daughter in law," Empress Ping muttered.
"Mother, what do we do?" Fei Ning grabbed onto her arm.
"If we go over, where will I hide my face in the future?" When the maids heard this, they all got up and headed over. They didn't want to starve to death with these two. Who cares if they were royalty, at a time like this, it was everyone on their own.
Seeing more people come over, Yu Mei had no choice but to get back in the water and fish. Even after everyone ate, Empress Ping and Fei Ning didn't make their way over. Pride over stomach.
The two of them frowned when Chu'mei walked over to them with a fish on a stick. Frown on their face but thankful on the inside. "My lady is giving it to you," Chu'mei snobbishly said, handing the fish over to Empress Ping before leaving. Chu'mei really didn't want to give it to them when she thought about the first day encounter. Why did her lady have to be so kind?
As Empress Ping looked at the fish in her hand, she didn't know what to think…
***
A day and a half later, the mother in law and daughters had finally returned. It was truly a blessing from the heavens, just as they had gotten out of the forest; they met with the Prime Minister's wife. If it wasn't for her giving up two of her carriages, they would have never made it back.
The moment Yu Mei got to her Southern Palace; she quickly rushed into her room, took off her shoes and jumped into bed. She wrapped her hand around her pillow as she kicked her feet up and down and smiled crazily, "Ah…I've missed you bed. From now on, I'll never leave you," she wrapped her arms even tighter around the pillow but why did it feel so much harder than she remembered…